January 3 - Kitchen Kabaret

Image copyright Disney

On this day, in 1994, the final notes of the Kitchen Kabaret show, located in the Land Pavilion in Future World at Epcot, drifted into the ether. As part of Epcot's opening day offerings, this 13 minute Audio-Animatronic show centered on teaching guests about the four food groups and the importance of a balanced diet. The main thing anyone remembers from it, however, are the four words "Veggie, Veggie, Fruit, Fruit" (and for those of you who do remember, that will now be in your head for the rest of the day, you're welcome).

Image copyright Disney

The show was hosted by Bonnie Appetite, a combination of a Fifties housewife and a cabaret singer. She was voiced by Jeanine Brown, a studio musician and member of the country-swing group The Doo-Wah Riders. Bonnie starts out being less than enthused about cooking dinner and sets out on a journey meeting members of each of the food groups for inspiration. The highlights included a trio of grains who parodied the Andrews Sisters with Boogie Woogie Bakery Boy, a vaudeville type act featuring Mr. Hamm and Mr. Eggz and a group of broccoli, bananas and tomatoes chanting the earworm known as Veggie, Veggie, Fruit, Fruit.

The show was sponsored by Kraft Foods, who also sponsored the entire Land Pavilion for the first decade it was open. When the initial sponsorship deal ended in the fall of 1993, Kraft declined to renew. Nestle became the new sponsor and, naturally, wanted a new show that wasn't connected to Kraft. Kitchen Kabaret would survive a few more months while it's replacement was in development.

Image copyright Disney

The replacement show was called Food Rocks. It was also about 13 minutes long, also featured a cast of Audio-Animatronics, also centered on nutrition and, coincidentally, also closed on January 3, exactly one decade after Kitchen Kabaret. Food Rocks was, in my opinion, less memorable than its predecessor. It was staged as a benefit concert promoting healthy eating that was hosted by Fud Wrapper, voiced by real-life rapper Tone Loc. The show featured several parodies of actual songs and bands (The Peach Boys singing Good Nutrition, that sort of thing). Several of the parodies were voiced by the real performers including Neil Sedaka as Neil Moussaka, Little Richard, the Pointer Sisters and Chubby Checker as Chubby Cheddar.

Food Rocks closed in 2004 to be replaced by Soarin'. Nestle renewed their sponsorship of the Land Pavilion for a while but stopped in 2009. The pavilion has lacked sponsorship since then.